1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high speed item/sorter/reader apparatus and more particularly relates to item/sorter pocket or receptacle stacking and handling apparatus and still more specifically to means within an item/sorter pocket or receptacle for stacking and handling items at high speed without interference, jams or collisions therebetween.
2. History of the Prior Art
Modern item/sorter/reader apparatus must be able to read, move and stack relatively flimsy items such as thin paper check stock as well as thicker punch card stock at extremely high speeds along relatively extensive and irregular pathways. Flimsy paper stock is subject to widely varying aerodynamic problems associated with capture and free flight of such documents. Thicker card stock also presents problems as a result of bending, folding, mutilating, etc. One corner bent or a dog earred item can jam up an entire sorting pathway. In sorter/readers where advantage is taken of the free flight (ballistic characteristics) of the item particularly as the item enters and is received by the item pocket receptacle, collision, jams, overlaps, etc., are a major nuisance. Delays in operation due to down time resulting from such problems are usual and costly and, which is worse, document items are often damaged or destroyed and must be replaced because of these problems.
It is an object therefore of the present invention to solve these and other associated problems in a new, novel and heretofore unobvious fashion by providing means within the item pocket receptacle for automatically moving each incoming item out of the way of the next incoming item effectively avoiding collision, jams and overlaps.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a rigid but demountable back-up member for a sorter/reader item pocket including means for preventing the items from bouncing backwardly away from the terminal wall within the pocket and into the pathway of incoming items.
Still another important object of the invention is to provide automatic means within the sorter item pocket for opening and maintaining a clear entry path for incoming items without resort to air pressure, and other prior art means.